Korean Food : Highway Service Station Food is way Expensive! (Hyugeso)

The Last winter trip to High1

My b-friend and I went on the last trip of this winter, to High-one, one of the biggest ski-resort in Korea, located in Gangwon province. We spent 2 nights and 3 days with his friends.

On a first day, we arrived late at night, so we just grab a bottle of beer and had a rest. On the next day, we all snow-boarded nearly for 8 hours, trembling, tumbling, sliding, shrieking, bumping, crashing, shouting, sprawling, and laughing. To shortly say, Exhilarated.

At night, we ate pork belly, called Samgyupsal, with beer and soju. Samgyupsal after hard-working of snow-boarding was very wonderful. We played several games that we used to do during schooltime and chattered about our daily lives and again, laughed and laughed.

When the sun rose in the third day morning, it was time to turn back to own lives. After having said goodbye to each other, we took a car for own destination, Seoul, Gumi, and Busan.

It would be a long journey for my b-friend and me. To Busan to Gangwon, it takes 4 to 5 hours through express way by car. Before departure, we decided to drop by a service station, called Hyugeso in Korean, and have late lunch there.

I was a Service Station Snacker

During my childhood, when my family visited relatives’ house on traditional holiday, like a new year or a thanks-giving day, we took a highway to get there. For me, only thing I longed for, during the boring time staying in the stuffed car, was snack time in a highway service station(Hyugeso).

It was me who popped out first as soon as Dad finished parking the car. I dashed out to the snack area, rubbing my abdomen. Then, Mom, behind me, cautioned me to be attentive against cars with a worrying voice. Later, Mom arriving, I excitedly said to mom a list of want-to-eat snacks.

Mom bought whatever I demanded, grinning. Mom did never reject to buy them for me, since she knew it was the only interest for me on a way. My favorite was walnut bread, named Hodugwaja, a symbol of service station snack, and baked or steamed corn. I was so happy with them.

Cheongdo Service Station

We arrived at Cheongdo service station around 4 o’clock, 3-4 hours after departure. We felt a bit hungry and start to wander around for snack.

There were typical service-service station snacks including Walnut bread(Hodugwaja), Ddeokbokki, Oden, Baked potatoes, Sausage-bar(Hot bar), Hotdog, Corn and Coffee. We splitted, for saving time, to choose snack to buy.

They look so yum, don't they?

Highway Service Station Food is way Expensive!

Soon I gaped at the prices of the snack.
It was unreasonably expensive than that in other places.

For example, Walnut bread, called hodugwaja, one of the famous snacks in highway service station, was sold in a packet of 8 balls at 2,000won, meaning 250 won per ball. In comparison with walnut bread in Cheon-an city, it’s 20% more expensive. Oden and Sausage stick(Hot-bar) cost 2,000won each, of which prices are 1,500won each in the city-market. It is way costly.

Unfortunately, I had no choice but to buy them. We bought a bowl of Ddeokbokki and a skew of Oden, paying 5,000won in total. I expected the taste to be good in suit of its high price. But the tastes of them was just fair, but not satisfying enough.

It's my he eating a piece of ddeokbokki!

A skew of Oden is 2,500won!!

Please Keep price fair!

For me, it was still the biggest delight on a highway.
There’s something special on that service station, with cheering atmosphere.

The quality of snack in such areas cannot be guaranteed, due to its locational advantage for monopoly. But as it remains as a citizens’ rest area, providing convenience for exhausted drivers and passengers through long trips, it should keep its food price fair.